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Food hygiene ratings


                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

 

 

The food hygiene rating scheme publishes ratings for food premises. It rates how hygienically the food is prepared, not the quality of food.

Venues nationwide ranging from restaurants, cafes, takeaways, delicatessens and shops to care homes, hotels and pubs are given a rating.

View a food hygiene rating

Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS)

The majority of inspections will be unannounced, and the rating is based on how well the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law at that time. The score achieved may not be representative of overall, long-term food hygiene standards of the business.

Food safety officers give a rating based on a scoring system:

  • 5 - Very good
  • 4 - Good
  • 3 - Generally satisfactory
  • 2 - Improvement necessary
  • 1 - Major improvement necessary
  • 0 - Urgent improvement necessary

The Food Standards Agency sets out how food hygiene inspections are done based on the Food Law code of practice. Businesses are assessed on three areas:

  • Hygiene (including: how food is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored).
  • Structure (including: cleanliness, condition and layout of the kitchen, equipment, lighting, ventilation, pest control and washing facilities).
  • Confidence in management (including: evidence of a satisfactory, documented food safety management system, due diligence records, sufficiency of staff training and the confidence the food safety officer has in standards being maintained in the future).

The Food Standards Agency provide a free food safety management system called Safer Food, Better Business. This aims to help small/medium sized food businesses comply with current food safety and hygiene legislation. We suggest using this resource if you do not have your own equally effective food safety management system

What if I don't agree with my rating?

To ensure that the scheme is fair to businesses, it has been designed to include a number of safeguards.

This includes the right to appeal, the right to reply and the option to request a revisit.

Right to appeal

If you think that the rating is wrong or unfair, or in other words it does not reflect the hygiene standards at the time of inspection, you can appeal against this.

You must make your appeal in writing within 21 days of being notified about your food hygiene rating. This period includes weekends and public holidays. If you do not appeal within this time, we will publish your food hygiene rating online at food.gov.uk/ratings.

It is a good idea to first speak informally to the food safety officer that carried out the inspection of your premises - you will be given the contact details for this officer at the bottom of your inspection report.

This will help you to understand how your rating was worked out and to see if you still want to appeal it. If you do still think the rating given was wrong or unfair, you can appeal it by downloading, completing and returning the appeal form to either:

By email: envhealth@cheltenham.gov.uk  

By post: Environmental Health, Cheltenham Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham, GL50 9SA

Your appeal information will then be assessed by the lead food officer at Cheltenham Borough Council.

Please note, any informal discussions you have with a food safety officer do not change the deadline within which the appeal must be made.

Document Icon FHRS Appeal Form - doc - 314 Kb

What happens next and when will I know the outcome?

If you make an appeal, food.gov.uk/ratings will show that your food hygiene rating is 'Awaiting Publication'. The lead food officer, or the designated deputy, will review your case. A different food safety officer to the one who gave your hygiene rating will consider your appeal. In some circumstances, a further visit to your premises may be required.

You will be notified of the result of the appeal within a maximum of 21 days from the date that the appeal was received by the council. Once you have been notified of the result of your appeal, your rating will be published online at food.gov.uk/ratings.

What if I don't agree with the outcome of the appeal?

You can challenge the council's decision by judicial review. Even if you decide to do this, your rating will still be published at food.gov.uk/ratings.

If you think that the council has not followed processes properly, you can use the council's complaints procedure.

Right to reply

Your right to reply lets you explain to your customers any actions you have taken to improve hygiene standards at your premises since your inspection or to say if there were unusual circumstances at the time of the inspection that might have affected your rating.

Please note, this is not an opportunity to complain or criticise the food hygiene rating scheme or your food safety officer.

How to implement your ‘right to reply’

You should download and complete the right to reply form and then send it to either:

  • By email: envhealth@cheltenham.gov.uk 
  • By post to Environmental Health, Cheltenham Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham, GL50 9SA

Document Icon FHRS Right To Reply Form - doc - 312 Kb

 

How long do I have to submit my ‘right to reply'?

There is no deadline for this. You can submit your ‘right to reply’ at any time up until your next scheduled inspection, when you will get a new food hygiene rating.

We will publish your comments alongside the rating given at food.gov.uk/ratings.

What happens next?

We may edit your comments in order to remove any offensive, defamatory, clearly inaccurate or irrelevant remarks. Other than that, what you say in your 'right to reply' will then be published online together with your hygiene rating at food.gov.uk/ratings.

The 'right to reply' will remain on the website until you are given a new rating at your next scheduled inspection.

Request a revisit

You have a right to apply for a requested revisit for the purposes of re-rating the food business if you have taken action to rectify the non-compliances identified at the time of the original inspection.

The charge for this service is currently £225 per application made.

There is no limit on the number of revisits you can request, however, the fee will apply for each application. You can make your request at any time after the statutory inspection.

Warning Please note: in order for your requested revisit to be approved, you must provide details of the improvements made along with supporting evidence; where appropriate. For example, photographs of works undertaken or copies of relevant documents.

Payment for your revisit should not be made until after your request for a revisit has been approved by a food safety officer.

If we consider that you have provided sufficient evidence and the required improvements have been made, we will approve your request for a revisit and direct you to make payment for the requested revisit. Once the payment has been received, an unannounced, full inspection will then take place.

Following the revisit inspection, the food safety officer will give you a ‘new’ food hygiene rating based on the level of compliance that is found at the time of the re-visit.

Warning Please note: your new rating could go up, down or remain the same, based on what is found at the time of the new inspection.

To make a request for a revisit, please complete this form below and return it to envhealth@cheltenham.gov.uk.

Document Icon FHRS Revisit Request Form - docx - 259 Kb

Pay for a revisit

Once you have applied for a revisit and this has been approved by a Food Safety Officer they will then direct you to make payment for this revisit.

Pay for a revisit

How long will it take for a revisit to be undertaken?

A requested revisit will take place within three months of receipt of the fee.

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